


We'd Keep All Our Promises

by TheGirlInThePinkScarf



Category: Baseball RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Boston Red Sox, M/M, New York Mets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 19:07:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11927325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGirlInThePinkScarf/pseuds/TheGirlInThePinkScarf
Summary: Sometimes Rick thinks about what if. What if he had gone to North Carolina and been Matt Harvey’s roommate.





	We'd Keep All Our Promises

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saddestboner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saddestboner/gifts).



> This fic takes place in 2015 (the current scenes) which was ironically when I first thought about writing Matt and Rick together.
> 
> It was after reading [ this ](http://www.baseballamerica.com/high-school/harvey-porcello-share-more-than-great-talent-4288/#Fdp0UgCPi0bTexCC.97) article (and a few other similar ones) about their past friendship and how they were going to be college roommates that I decided to write them.
> 
> I tagged this as underage since Matt and Rick are 17 in all of the flashback scenes (except for the last one).
> 
> Title appropriately taken from this lyric in “The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry: We’d keep all our promises, be us against the world.
> 
> I’m always nervous about writing a pairing for the first time, but I still had fun writing this!
> 
> I hope that you enjoy this!

* * *

_So this is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December all the time_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

_I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right_

_**Back To December- Taylor Swift** _

* * *

Sometimes Rick thinks about what if. What if he had gone to North Carolina and been Matt Harvey’s roommate. It’s usually just a few fleeting thoughts that are gone just as soon as they come. But ever since he did that interview for the [Providence Journal](http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150308/Sports/150309372) talking about it, he can’t stop reminiscing. The summer that he spent with Matt after their junior year of high school was honestly the best summer of Rick’s life. He made a lot of great memories with Matt, not just on the baseball field. Rick smiles as he thinks about the first time that he met Matt.

* * *

_Matt was the cockiest person that seventeen year-old Rick had ever encountered. He would usually roll his eyes and be annoyed at people like that, but somehow Matt was different. He was surprisingly shy when he wasn’t bragging and he was immediately nice to Rick. They had heard about each other for a little while since they were both top ranked pitchers from the Northeast, but this was their first time meeting face to face. They were out in bumfuck Arkansas surrounded by other people that they didn’t know, so they decided to hang out together. Rick had other friends who were also into baseball, so he assumed that Matt would just be one of many. Of course, it turned out that Matt would become **so** much more._

* * *

Rick loves that playing in Boston puts him closer to his family and closest friends. He gets to see them often and it’s amazing . . . _most_ of the time. It’s unfortunately more awkward and annoying now when his mom asks him when he’s going to bring a nice young lady home. Instead of changing the subject or acting like he has something to do so that he can get off the phone, he’s forced to have these embarrassing conversations in person. Rick has met and even dated a few nice girls, but none of them have come close to being what he really wants. He likes women, but he has never fallen in love with one. Of course, in his twenty-six years on earth, there has only been one person who he has loved romantically.

* * *

_Matt and Rick grew closer as they spent more time together. Since Matt was a Yankees fan, Rick (a Mets fan) could tell him about how he secretly liked Derek Jeter. They talked about girls, their friends, their families, and their dreams. Rick liked having someone that could completely understand his love of baseball and all of the pressure that he was under. He could talk to Matt about pretty much everything and Rick really enjoyed that. When they had a free afternoon, they decided to go to the movie theater with a few other guys. Transformers was out and they all agreed that they wanted to watch it._

_They spent the rest of their night talking about the movie and their favorite parts. Most of the other guys were sleeping, so they were talking in hushed tones. Rick started to blush when Matt mentioned how hot that he thought Megan Fox was. He turned an even deep shade of crimson when Matt commented on how it had been a while since he last rubbed one out. Despite hanging around other athletes a lot, Rick was a little bashful when it came to discussing things like that._

“ _It has probably been a while for you too, right?” Matt asked._

_Rick tried to hide his red cheeks. “Yeah.”_

“ _So why don’t we do it right now?” Matt suggested._

“ _In front of each other?” Rick shrieked._

“ _It’s not a big deal, Rick. Just stay under the covers,” Matt told him._

_He nodded because he couldn’t really argue with that logic. Also, it felt like talking about masturbating suddenly put Rick in the mood. Matt grabbed his bottle of lotion and he squirted a little bit onto his palm. He offered some to Rick who gladly accepted. Rick adjusted his two pillows because he wanted to be as comfortable as possible. He then pulled his pajama pants down all the way to his ankles. Rick would usually close his eyes while touching himself, but he decided to keep them open for some reason this time._

_He coated his right hand with some lotion before wrapping it around his cock. Rick could hear the quiet grunts coming from Matt and it surprisingly made his dick get harder. He didn’t want to analyze what was going on, so he tried to ignore it. Rick tightened his grip as he thought about the prettiest girl at his school. If he wasn’t sneaking and watching porn or something, thinking about the head cheerleader was his go-to fantasy. It usually did the trick for him, but it wasn’t working now. Rick’s erection was actually going down and it was frustrating him. He let out an irritated sound and it caught Matt’s attention._

“ _Dude, do you need some help or something?” Matt offered._

_Rick stiffened. “No, I don’t need your help! That’s gay and I’m **not** gay!”_

“ _It’s totally not gay to help out a struggling friend! It’s actually something that good buddies do for each other,” Matt told him._

“ _Really?” Rick questioned._

“ _Yeah, it’s totally cool,” Matt replied._

_Rick wasn’t completely convinced that Matt was right, but he was interested in getting off. He walked over to Rick’s bed and asked him to move over just a little bit. Rick made some room for Matt to join him on his mattress. His breath hitched when he felt Matt’s slightly calloused hand stroke his shaft. Rick’s last girlfriend used to sometimes give him hand jobs, but they never made a shiver run down his back like this. Matt’s big fingers were apparently good at gripping things other than just baseballs._

_Rick looked up and he saw Matt’s piercing greenish eyes staring back at him. His heart skipped a beat and his stomach fluttered at the intense expression that Matt was giving him. Rick started to sweat and suddenly his mouth was dry. He felt dizzy and euphoric like he did after drinking too much beer. Matt was definitely making Rick feel better than anyone (including himself) ever had. He could feel that his orgasm was quickly approaching. Rick normally had to be silent when he came, so it was surprising that he was having trouble containing his moans._

_Matt didn’t want any of the other guys to wake up, so he kissed Rick as a way to muffle his sounds. Matt’s mouth was a little rough and nothing like the supple, gloss covered lips that Rick was used to kissing. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation though. In fact, Matt’s tongue was expertly exploring his mouth. Rick couldn’t believe how turned on that he was from something another boy was doing to him. Matt sucked on his tongue while simultaneously squeezing Rick’s balls. It was all that he needed to cum. Rick’s toes curled and his body quivered as he spilled all over Matt’s fist._

“ _Shit, Matt!” Rick whispered against Matt’s lips._

_Matt laughed. “Good?”_

“ _Yes, very good!” Rick exclaimed._

* * *

Although spring training doesn’t technically count for anything, Rick still takes it seriously. He uses the time to really get himself ready for the season and he wants to make a good impression with his new team. He’s completely focused and motivated to be successful on the field. It’s not unusual for Rick to watch a lot of SportsCenter, especially before the regular season starts. But he would be lying to himself if he said that his TV isn’t on ESPN all the time because he wants to keep tabs on Matt. Rick knows that it has been practically a lifetime since he and Matt were close to each other. But he still misses it. Rick still misses _him_. Things started out so promising with Matt and he hates that they didn’t end on the same high note.

* * *

_Matt and Rick had to try really hard to keep their relationship a secret from everyone. They had to watch the way that they smiled at each other and they had to make sure that their hugs were quick and impersonal. The last thing that they needed was the stress and distraction of their relationship going public. So, they played up the platonic BFF role publicly and they kissed and cuddled when they had a little bit of privacy at night. As much as they loved pitching on the same team, they enjoyed their private moments together even more. They wanted summer to last forever, but they knew that it couldn’t._

_They exchanged phone numbers and e-mails because they didn’t want to lose touch. They even called their parents to make sure that they would be able to see each other a few times during the upcoming school year. The last night of the final summer tournament was sad. They didn’t want to leave each other and go their separate ways. The organizers of the tournament hosted a bonfire and it was supposed to be a good time. But Matt and Rick got emotional as they saw all of the guys saying their goodbyes. When no one was paying attention, Matt grabbed Rick by the wrist and took him to their room. He locked the door and then he backed Rick up against it._

“ _Fuck, I’m really gonna miss you,” Matt declared._

“ _I know. Me too,” Rick agreed._

_Matt caressed the moles on Rick’s face. “We should make the best of our last night together.”_

“ _What do you have in mind?” Rick wondered._

“ _Well, I’ve been thinking about your mouth on my dick ever since we first met,” Matt bluntly said._

_Rick blushed. “You’re such a romantic, Matt.”_

“ _You love my abrasiveness,” Matt countered._

“ _That’s true,” Rick replied with a smile._

_They switched places so that Matt was now pressed against the door. They didn’t have much time, so Rick quickly sunk down onto his knees. He didn’t waste any time pulling down Matt’s pants and underwear. Rick slowly licked his lips because he knew how hot that Matt found it. Matt ran his fingers through Rick’s hair encouragingly and then he reminded him to watch his teeth. He didn’t really know what to do, but Matt assured him that it would be good as long as he didn’t bite him. Rick tried to picture all of the girls that he had seen in porn so that he could mimic them._

_Matt didn’t want to choke him, so he slowly guided his cock into Rick’s perfect, beautiful mouth. Just feeling the warm, wet heat was enough to start making Matt feel good. Rick relaxed his jaw to accommodate for Matt’s size. He focused on his breathing so that he wouldn’t gag. Rick felt himself growing hard when Matt told him that he was doing a good job. He sucked on just the head of his dick until he felt ready for more. Matt closed his eyes and he groaned when Rick sucked harder._

“ _You really are a quick learner,” Matt praised._

_Rick wanted to smirk, but his mouth was full. Matt forced himself to open his eyes again so that he could look down at Rick. He looked sexier than anything that Matt had ever seen in real life or in porn. Matt definitely wanted to save the image of his cock shoved into Rick’s mouth for the spank bank later. A few tears fell from his eyes and spit pooled at the corner of his mouth. It’s not that he didn’t know a blow job would be messy, but Rick still wasn’t quite prepared for it._

_Matt pulled on Rick’s hair a little too vigorously when he felt the tip of dick brush against the back of his throat. He tried to apologize, but he wasn’t capable of coherent speech. None of the girls that he hooked up with ever got this far, so Matt was beyond impressed. Rick had to hold onto Matt’s thighs so that he didn’t thrust too hard and accidentally choke him. He could tell by Matt’s tense muscles that he was going to climax soon._

“ _I want to cum all over your pretty face,” Matt said in a breathless tone._

_Rick couldn’t resist Matt’s dirty talk. He popped the button on his jeans and he stuck his hand inside. Matt called him a desperate slut for jerking off while blowing him and all that Rick could do was blush furiously. He needed to take a break so that he could breathe properly, so he pulled off. Matt gave him a reassuring pat on the top of his head and thanked him for being so amazing. He grabbed Rick’s chin with one hand and he gripped his cock with the other one. Matt made a fist and he used a swift rhythm to stroke himself. Rick batted his long eyelashes as he told Matt how badly that he wanted to taste him. That comment caught Matt off-guard and it hurtled him toward orgasm. Rick closed his eyes just as the first shot of cum landed on his right cheek. By the time that Matt finished, Rick’s lips and chin were dripping._

“ _You have no fucking idea how sexy that you look right now,” Matt complimented him._

“ _I’m glad that I look better than I feel. Because I feel sticky and disgusting,” Rick mentioned._

“ _Let’s go get you cleaned up and then head back out. I’m surprised that no one has come looking for us already,” Matt commented._

* * *

After mulling it over for several days, Rick finally decides that he wants to reach out to Matt. He doesn’t have his number, so he basically has to play a game of six degrees of separation to get it. Rick programs it into his phone and then he nervously bites his lip. It dawns on him that he has absolutely no idea what he’s going to say to Matt. So much time has passed and Rick doesn’t even know how to approach him now. A simple “hey, what’s up?” feels too mundane and too familiar. An apology seems too heavy for a text message.

Part of Rick thinks that he should just delete Matt’s number and not disturb his life. But the larger part of him thinks that he owes it to himself to contact him again. Rick sighs because he’s honestly not sure what the right thing to do is. It’s late though and he knows that he won’t get any sleep if he doesn’t figure this out. He brings up his texts and Rick starts typing a message. He reads it over about a thousand times before he finally decides to just send it. Rick exhales because there’s no going back now. He just hopes that Matt will actually respond to him. Even if it’s a hostile and snarky comment like “go fuck yourself.” Rick is truly kind of expecting that kind of response.

* * *

_The last week before the draft was hectic. It was really stressful and all that Matt wanted to do was relax. Luckily, Rick had invited him to stay at his family home in Vermont for a few days. Spending some uninterrupted time with his boyfriend was just what Matt needed. He sent Rick to the store to pick up some groceries for them once he arrived. The real reason that Matt sent him is because he wanted to have the house to himself for a little while. He had a few things to set up as a surprise for Rick._

_After getting a little tipsy at a party a few months ago, Rick called Matt. He wasn’t really talking coherently since he had a low alcohol tolerance. Of course, the one thing Matt heard him say clearly was that he didn’t want to go to college still a virgin. Rick had no recollection of saying that the next day, but Matt certainly didn’t forget. He immediately thought about that confession when he got the invitation to get away. Matt made sure to pack condoms, lube, massage oil, and candles. Rick walked through the door right as Matt was lighting the last candle in the master bedroom._

“ _I know that it’s cliché, but I hope that you like it,” Matt remarked._

“ _I love it, Matt. But we should probably talk first,” Rick said as he sat down on the bed._

_Matt shook his head. “We can talk later.”_

* * *

_**Twenty Minutes Later** _

* * *

“ _Now you won’t be a virgin in college,” Matt whispered as he kissed Rick’s bare shoulder._

“ _Speaking of college . . . ” Rick trailed off._

“ _What about it?” Matt questioned._

_Rick pulled the covers over his naked body. “I don’t know if I want to go anymore.”_

“ _What?” Matt asked._

“ _I know that being your roommate and teammate would be awesome and I loved the campus. But I don’t know if three years of college is what’s best for me,” Rick explained._

“ _But it was your idea!” Matt pointed out._

“ _I’ve just been doing a lot of thinking. What if I get hurt and never make the Majors because of that?” Rick brought up._

“ _Rick, you can’t think like that,” Matt told him._

“ _It’s something that I have to consider, Matt. The chance to get drafted in the first round may not be there for me three years from now,” Rick argued._

“ _When did you make this decision?” Matt wanted to know._

_Rick shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a week ago.”_

“ _And you’re just now telling me? So, you’ve been stringing me along this whole time?” Matt accused._

“ _That’s not—”_

“ _It’s fine if you don’t want to go to UNC with me. That’s something I can live with. But what I can’t handle is you lying to me about it,” Matt declared._

“ _I didn’t lie! I just . . . delayed telling you,” Rick clarified._

“ _That’s the same thing!” Matt retorted._

“ _I’m sorry for not being more up front with you, Matt. I love you and I just didn’t want to hurt you,” Rick tried to explain._

“ _No, you didn’t want to get hurt by my reaction. You were only trying to protect yourself,” Matt lashed out._

“ _You’re right,” Rick admitted._

“ _You know, maybe this is for the best,” Matt replied as he slipped out of bed._

“ _Matt—”_

_Matt turned his back to Rick and he ignored him. He started putting his clothes back on and he looked pissed. Rick knew that Matt was hot-tempered at times, so he assumed that he would eventually calm down. He probably just needed some time to cool off. Rick didn’t start to worry until he noticed that Matt had his bag packed. He watched Matt walk out the front door and get into his car. Rick probably should’ve ran after him or tried to stop him, but he didn’t. He just watched heartbroken as Matt drove away angrily._

* * *

Rick still cringes when he thinks about that fateful night. It was the beginning of the end for them. They never really saw each other again after that. The only significant contact they had after that night was when Matt sent Rick a “congratulations” text after he was drafted. Rick never responded because he was trying so hard to put Matt behind him; he felt like he was moving on to bigger and better things. Rick now regrets the way that he handled things. He keeps checking his phone to see if there’s a reply from Matt, but of course there isn’t one. Rick remains hopeful though because it has only been a day and a half. If all else fails, Rick could always try to speak with Matt in person. The Mets will be in town for a spring training game on Monday, so there’s a chance that he can see him then.

* * *

Rick’s sleep is interrupted by his phone vibrating loudly. He squints at the clock on his nightstand and the red glowing numbers read 1:45 AM. Rick isn’t used to getting texts this late, so he has no idea who’s bothering him. The bright light from his cell phone nearly blinds him as he opens his messages. Rick’s heart feels like it’s going to beat out of his chest when he sees that Matt has sent him a response. His fingers are shaking as he opens the text. Rick has to take a few deep, calming breaths before he reads it. It’s a short message; only four words: **What do u want?**

Rick runs a frustrated hand through his hair because he genuinely doesn’t know the answer to that question. He wants to apologize for acting like a little shit. He wants to apologize for his selfish and childish behavior. He doesn’t think that he should say any of that over a text though. He chooses to go with something a lot simpler: **To talk. Maybe on the phone. Or at my condo next week.**

Rick’s not surprised when he doesn’t get an instant answer. He’s too wired to go back to sleep, so he just messes around on his phone. Rick hardly ever tweets, but he still likes browsing Twitter. He gets a lot of information about current events and he gets entertained by some of the trending topics. Rick is in the middle of reading one of his new teammate’s tweets when his phone vibrates again. He’s shocked when he sees that it’s Matt calling.

“Hey,” Rick awkwardly greets.

“What could you possibly want to talk to me about?” Matt wonders.

“I . . . uh . . . well, I’ve been thinking about you lately and—”

Matt cuts him off. “Look, I’m not interested in taking a stroll down memory lane with you.”

“Right. I understand that,” Rick quietly says.

There’s a brief uncomfortable silence until Matt tells him goodbye. Rick feels a tightness in his chest after he hangs up the phone. It’s almost like he’s experiencing Matt walking away from him _again_. He’s proud of himself for at least making a better attempt to patch things up with Matt this time. But Rick’s not going to force the issue. If Matt wants to move on from him, then he’s going to respect that and leave him alone. Rick has already caused him enough pain.

* * *

**Monday Morning**

* * *

Rick isn’t very hungry, but he wants to still have a light breakfast before he heads out to the ballpark. A banana with a few tablespoons of peanut butter should hold him over until he actually gets hungry later. He’s taking a bite of his banana when suddenly the doorbell rings. Rick’s not expecting company, especially this early in the morning. He assumes that maybe it’s one of his teammates who wants to carpool or something. Rick almost swallows his banana whole when he sees Matt Harvey standing in his doorway. He doesn’t trust his voice to speak, so he just steps aside so that he can let Matt inside his condo. Rick has many questions, but he’s too taken aback to voice any of them. He walks back into the kitchen and Matt follows after him.

Matt sighs. “I had no plans to visit you, but Grandy basically forced me to come here.”

“Oh. Well, it’s nice to see you anyway,” Rick remarks sheepishly.

“So, what do you want to talk about after eight years?” Matt questions.

“I want to apologize, sincerely. I acted out of immaturity, stubbornness, and fear. I thought that I had to choose between you and baseball. So when you walked away that night, I made the choice to live my life without you. I understand now just how stupid of a choice that really was. I know that I should have tried to make amends before now, but . . . ”

Rick has to stop himself from talking because the emotions are still too raw. He’s getting choked up and he really doesn’t want to cry in front of Matt. Ricks turns his back to him and then he grabs onto the counter for leverage. He’s shocked when he feels a large, comforting hand land on his lower back. Rick can’t believe that even after eight long years, a shiver _still_ travels down his spine whenever Matt touches him.

“I was scared, too,” Matt whispers.

Rick turns so that he’s now facing him. “Please forgive me. I’m not asking you to allow me back into your life again if you don’t want to. But I can’t stomach the thought of you hating me.”

“I don’t hate _you_. But I still hate the way that things ended,” Matt explains.

“I know. Me too,” Rick agrees.

Rick feels like they have so much more to talk about, but they have to get to the ballpark soon. He suddenly feels like the nervous teenager that he once was when he asks Matt if he can call him later. Matt looks like he wants to say no, but he slowly nods instead. Rick can’t help the wide grin that spreads across his face. He knows that it’s not really a promise of friendship or anything more, but it’s a good start.

* * *

“You looked good today,” Rick compliments after the game.

“Are you flirting with me?” Matt jokes.

Rick almost drops his phone. “What? No! That’s not what I meant!”

“Wow, you still get flustered so easily,” Matt teases.

“I guess some things never change,” Rick tells him.

“I guess not,” Matt echoes.

“It really was nice seeing you earlier. I guess I should send Grandy a fruit basket or something, huh?” Rick half-jokes.

“Yeah, probably. He’s always trying to talk some sense into me and encouraging me to do the right thing,” Matt explains.

“It’s good to have someone like that in your life,” Rick tells him.

“It is. He’s rarely wrong about anything, so I really value his opinion. Since he told me to at least hear what you had to say, I figured that I’d do it,” Matt responds.

“And you don’t regret it?” Rick checks.

“No,” Matt answers.

Rick has to briefly remove his phone from his ear so that he can let out the breath that he was holding. He wants to change the subject to something more neutral, so he asks Matt about his rehab and recovery from Tommy John surgery. They continue talking about every day, boring things going on in their lives until they start yawning. As much as Rick doesn’t want their conversation to end, he knows that they both need some rest. They’re not teenage boys who are going to literally fall asleep with their phones still attached to their ears anymore.

Rick’s stomach flutters when Matt agrees that they should call each other again sometime. Despite being tired, Rick knows that he won’t be able to go right to sleep. He feels like a dumb love-struck teenager again because he can’t stop smiling. Seeing Matt earlier and talking with him really just drove the point home about how much that Rick has missed him. And of course the physical attraction is still there. He still thinks that Matt is beautiful and that he has the most gorgeous eyes that he has ever seen.

Rick remembers the way that Matt’s hand felt on his back and suddenly his pajama bottoms are getting tighter. He’s completely aware of the fact that he really, really shouldn’t get himself off thinking about Matt right now. But he reaches into his nightstand for his bottle of lubricant anyway. Rick doesn’t waste any time wrapping his hand around his hard cock. He closes his eyes as he whispers Matt’s name. He has had sex with beautiful women and hooked up with the occasional guy, but no one turns him on like Matt does. Rick coats two of his fingers with lube and then he spreads his legs. He lets out a choked-off sound when he gets past the rim.

Rick still remembers what it feels like to have Matt inside him. It was his secret go-to fantasy, especially in the first few years after their break-up. He imagines how much better being with Matt would be now. Matt’s bigger, stronger, hotter, and even more experienced now. Rick thinks about how he could easily get dominated and man-handled by him. He crooks his fingers and he moves them around until he finds his prostate. Rick isn’t even jerking off anymore because this is all that he needs to orgasm. He recalls the way that Matt looked down at him adoringly when they had sex and it makes him cum just like it did back then. Rick takes a few moments to catch his breath and then he uses some wet wipes to clean himself off.

* * *

Rick and Matt have been calling and texting each other nearly every day for the duration of spring training. It has been great, but Rick’s dying to actually _see_ him again before the regular season starts. He doesn’t know how to bring up the subject though. They’re definitely on friendly terms now, but he can tell that Matt’s still kind of keeping him at arms-length. Of course, Rick doesn’t blame him for that. Since he can’t change how he treated Matt in the past, he’s doing his best to be much better to him now.

While they’re on the phone, Matt mentions having a friend in New Jersey that he wants to visit before he has to be in D.C. for the Mets season opener. Rick takes that opening to invite him to his place. He feels happy and relieved when Matt agrees to come by for a few hours. Rick feels that same anticipation about seeing Matt like he did eight years ago. He’s almost tuning out the rest of his conversation with Matt because he can’t stop thinking about seeing him soon.

“You’re not paying attention to me, are you?” Matt accuses.

“Sorry! I was distracted thinking about how I need to get my house ready for when you come over,” Rick explains.

“You don’t have to do anything special,” Matt lets him know.

“Yeah, I do. Because you’re special to me,” Rick comments.

“You’re still a walking breathing Hallmark card,” Matt teases.

“Shut up!” Rick petulantly responds.

“You can totally feed me though if you want to!” Matt tells him.

“Duly noted,” Rick says.

* * *

Rick calls his mom after he’s done talking to Matt. He won’t have enough time to get his house in order before Matt visits, so he wants his mother to help him. Thankfully, she lives across the street from him and she has a key. Rick asks if she’ll clean up a little bit for him and if she’ll go grocery shopping as well. She agrees, but then she decides to pry by asking what’s going on. He tries not to stutter as he mentions that he’s having a guest come over for dinner.

“Is it a date?” She asks excitedly.

“I don’t know, maybe. It’s complicated,” Rick remarks.

“Well, will I get to meet her?” She wants to know.

“Uh . . . it’s a _he_ and you’ve technically already met him,” Rick admits.

“I don’t understand,” She says.

“It’s Matt Harvey,” Rick tells her.

She laughs. “Of course. I probably should’ve figured that one out a long time ago.”

“Yeah, probably,” Rick agrees.

“I’ll make sure that your place is spotless and I’ll pick up everything on your grocery list,” She promises.

“Thanks, mom. Not just for doing this for me. But for not judging and for not asking too many questions,” Rick expresses gratitude.

“All that I’ve ever wanted for you was happiness, sweetheart. If he can give you that, that’s all that matters,” She assures him.

“You’re the best and I love you,” Rick states.

“I love you more,” She declares.

* * *

Rick has changed his outfit twice and he has spent thirty minutes on his hair. He’s a complete nervous wreck as he waits for Matt to show up. Rick looks at the candles that his mother bought for him and he puts them in a closet. He doesn’t want to make Matt uncomfortable by coming on too strong with a candle-lit dinner. Rick’s startled when he hears his doorbell ring. He looks at his watch and it’s about five minutes after Matt estimated that he’d arrive. Rick tries to stop his hand from shaking as he opens the front door. He opens his mouth to greet Matt, but he shuts it as soon as he lays eyes on him.

Matt’s dark hair is slicked back, he’s wearing a pair of tight gray jeans with a fitted white V-neck. He looks good enough to eat and Rick blushes when he realizes that he almost said that out loud. He manages to find his voice as he welcomes Matt to his house. Matt explains that he would have arrived earlier, but he got spotted by Rick’s mom as he was pulling up. Rick prays that she didn’t say anything too embarrassing. He’s going to grill some burgers and make sweet potato fries, so he leads Matt out to his patio. There’s a comfortable lounge chair right by the grill that Matt sits down in.

“I’m so glad that you made it,” Rick comments.

Matt smiles. “Me too.”

“You look good,” Rick praises.

“You’re _definitely_ flirting this time,” Matt points out.

“Maybe just a little,” Rick replies.

“You look nice, too. I like your hair,” Matt compliments.

“Thanks,” Rick says.

“It’s so quaint and private out here,” Matt notices.

“Yeah. I don’t really like anyone being in my business,” Rick explains.

“I’m sure it’s great to walk out of your house and not have the paparazzi there,” Matt comments.

“I’m not a big star like you are so no one cares what I do,” Rick argues.

“I think it’s the fact that I fuck models,” Matt jokes.

Rick laughs. “That could be part of it.”

He already has the burgers seasoned and ready to go for the grill, but Rick isn’t sure about what toppings that Matt wants. He tells Matt to think about it while he starts seasoning the sweet potato fries. Rick has some speakers on the patio, so he decides to play some music. Matt adds onions and blue cheese to his patty. Rick mentions that he also has bacon jam and Matt’s eyes light up like a Christmas tree.

“Are you trying to seduce me via food?” Matt questions.

“Is it working?” Rick retorts.

Matt winks. “I don’t know. I’ll have to taste your meat first.”

* * *

“I didn’t look at the forecast, so I didn’t know that it was going to rain. I’m so sorry!” Rick apologizes as he holds the door open for Matt.

“It’s ok,” Matt says as he runs into the house.

“No, it’s not. You’re cold and wet now,” Rick points out.

“Nothing a quick shower and a change of clothes won’t fix,” Matt remarks.

“I can find you some clothes while you get in the shower,” Rick offers.

“Thanks,” Matt tells him.

He grabs a pair of sweat pants from his drawer and the first oversized t-shirt that he sees. Rick leaves them on the bed in the guest room for Matt. He turns the TV on when he goes back downstairs because he needs to distract himself. Rick really doesn’t want to think about the fact that Matt is naked in his bathroom. He doesn’t need to picture the pornographic way that the water droplets are sliding down Matt’s body. Nope. Rick’s totally _not_ going to go there. He hears Matt coming down the stairs, so he turns around to look at him. Rick almost chokes on his own spit when he sees the shirt that he randomly picked out for Matt. It’s an old UNC t-shirt.

“Did you buy this shirt when we toured the campus or something?” Matt wonders.

Rick nods. “Yes.”

“I’m surprised that you kept it,” Matt says.

“I bought it for you as a gift. I was going to give it to you that night in Vermont, but . . . ” Rick trails off.

“That doesn’t explain why you still have it,” Matt whispers.

“It reminded me of you and I couldn’t get rid of it. That would have been like me throwing away what we had together . . . _again_ ,” Rick answers solemnly.

“I didn’t mean to—”

He can’t hold back his tears this time. Rick retreats into his kitchen, but Matt follows after him. He feels like a complete idiot for crying in front of Matt like this. Rick’s getting ready to apologize, but he’s distracted by Matt tenderly wiping away his tears. He pulls him in so closely that Rick can smell the soap on his skin. Matt brings their foreheads together and Rick briefly closes his eyes to properly take in the moment.

“You haven’t lost me, Rick,” Matt softly confesses.

“I-I haven’t?” Rick quietly asks.

Matt traces his fingers over Rick’s lips. “No.”

Rick has wanted to kiss Matt ever since he showed up at his condo about three weeks ago. He’s so grateful that he finally has his chance. Rick grabs him by his chin and then he brings their mouths together. It’s a desperately, sloppy kiss at first. Kind of like the one that they shared one night after getting a little tipsy. It’s more teeth than lips until Matt takes control. He places his hand onto the back or Rick’s head and he runs his fingers through his hair. Matt slows everything down by sucking on Rick’s bottom lip. He nibbles on it before slipping his tongue inside. Rick’s moan gets muffled, but Matt can feel it. Their mouths are now moving together in a synchronized fashion. Rick feels light and blissful like he always does when Matt kisses him. He whines when Matt pulls away.

“Why’d you stop?” Rick wants to know.

“Because that’s all that I can give you right now. I want this. I want _you_ , but I want to take it slowly,” Matt explains.

“That makes sense,” Rick says.

“I don’t want us to fuck it up this time,” Matt adds.

“Me either,” Rick agrees.

“So we’ll take our time and hope that we’re better the second time around,” Matt remarks.

“We will be,” Rick promises.

**Author's Note:**

> I am not done with this ‘verse yet, I definitely want to write more!
> 
> I’m thinking of writing maybe a few more flashback scenes from Matt’s POV.
> 
> I also want to write a sequel that follows Matt and Rick’s relationship further; I mainly wanted to write about their reunion in this part.


End file.
